1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates generally to the field of goggles worn for eye protection during the playing of sports and, more particularly, for sports goggles worn for water or down-hill skiing and the like.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art:
As is commonly known, at least to sports enthusiasts, a number of different types of sports goggles are available in sporting goods stores. Many of these sports goggles are of the tough, physically protective type, which are commonly used in such sports as hand ball and racquet ball, where there exists a high probability that eye injury can result if the eye is hit by a ball traveling at high velocity. Another common type of sports goggle is the underwater type, such as are used by scuba divers, long distance swimmers and racing swimmers, to keep water out of their eyes. Still another common type of sports goggle is the type used by skiiers. Normally this last type of sports goggle serves as much, at least to ordinary skiiers, as a fashion statement as an eye protector.
Still another type of sports goggle is the WWl aviator type affected by many motorcyclists and race car drivers who disdain the wearing of helmets with full-face visors, to keep dust, dirt and the wind out of their eyes. A further type of sports goggle is the type worn by combatants in mock war games in which the combatants shoot at one another using blank cartridges or, more recently, using paint-ball firing guns.
A common problem with many types of sports goggles of the type which fit closely to the wearer's face is the fogging up of the inside surface of the lenses by the condensation thereon of moisture from the wearer's eyes and covered part of the wearer's face. This fogging up of the inside surface of the lenses becomes worse as the activity level of the wearer increases and the wearer perspires more. To reduce or eliminate such lens fogging, some types of goggles have ventilation holes formed in the frame. Typical of such type of goggles are safety goggles. Other types of sports goggles are constructed having miniature electric blowers to keep the inside of the lenses from fogging. Still other types use miniature electric heating elements to prevent lens fogging.
All of known types of sports goggles having antifogging lens provisions are too complicated and/or costly and/or do not perform satisfactorily. It is, therefore, a principal objective of the present invention to provide an improved sports goggle which incorporates means for preventing or, at least, substantially reducing lens fogging during use and which has the advantage of being reasonably priced and has the still further advantage of having user-replaceable lenses.
Another problem associated with goggles intended for water sports is the accumulation of water between the lens and the face of the wearer. Heretofore, available goggles which conform to the face to prevent water entry are unfortunately not always effective in that regard when the wearer is physically active, as in water skiing, wind surfing or jet skiing, and is subject to heavy water impact. In instances where water gets behind the lens, it is held there by the portion of the goggles which conform to the wearer's face.
The present invention overcomes this problem by enabling free drain of water from the face of the wearer behind the lens, while at the same time inhibiting water entry by means of a conforming frame.